Second arson at Norway boarding house investigated

By Andie Hannon, Sun Journal •May 15, 2012 5:43 am

NORWAY, Maine — Investigators from three different agencies are taking a closer look at last week’s suspected arson at a local boarding house after someone tried to burn the place down again late Sunday night.

Norway Assistant Fire Chief James Tibbetts said the fire was called in at 11:30 p.m. Sunday at 7 King St. The fire was the second in just over a week.

The first blaze was called in at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. Two police officers were credited with saving lives and the building at that time because they pulled a burning mattress from the entrance to the boarding house.

Tibbetts said that Sunday’s fire was called in at the same time and it started in the same place and involved something burning in the hallway. He said the blaze was out by the time crews arrived on scene.

“If I was living there, I’d be a little nervous,” Tibbetts said. “Most of it is up to the [state] fire marshals now as to what we’re going to do.”

Tibbetts said both fires are being investigated as arson by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Norway Fire Department and Norway Police Department.

Tibbetts said 15 to 20 firefighters from Norway responded to the blaze, and crews from Oxford and Paris were initially called in for mutual aid, but were canceled when crews arrived on the scene.